The Meadow Scene: Redone
by Aradia Lestat-Ming Ue
Summary: Edward seemed to take a deep breath, and then he stepped out into the bright glow of the midday sun... What if when Bella saw Edward's true for she didn't see perfection? Instead she saw a monster. Oneshot.


_I decided that I wanted to re-write the meadow scene in Twilight. I wanted to write it in a way that I felt was more, I guess, meaningful. If I did a good job or not, I leave up to you._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight in any way, shape or form._

**13. Confessions**

_Edward seemed to take a deep breath, and then he stepped out into the bright glow of the midday sun._

As the sunlight touched Edward's face the beautiful figure I'd been staring at the whole afternoon melted away, like ice under the sun.

His skin was no longer milky white, but a rusty grey color. Those beautiful butterscotch eyes were now two haunting black orbs of pure darkness. It was as if no light had ever touched them. Protruding from his mouth were two long tusks like fangs that curved slightly by his chin. I saw his, which resembled paws, more with the long claws that replaced his nails.

I was in a state of shock. The beauty had vanished away and left this creature instead. My natural instincts told me to run away, to get as far away as possible. Yet, my heart wouldn't let me run from him.

"Edward?" I whispered softly, trying to keep the shock out of my voice.

"Now you see," Edward said harshly. His voice was still the same, but it seemed to get lower and more intimidating. "Now you see why I wanted you to stay away from me. Can you see what I truly am Bella?"

Those cold black eyes captured mine and I was instantly sucked in. My voice couldn't make any sound. I didn't know if it was a mixture of terror or awe that kept me silent, but there was so much I knew I needed to say.

"How?" I managed to squeak out weakly.

"My family and I are creatures of the night, Bella," he explained. "The darkness, the shadows, the clouds all block our true form from view. The sun, however, with all its glory and might, tears down our human guises and reveals the truth within us."

Edward lifted his clawed hands towards the sun. "This is the skin of a killer."

"No!" I said loudly, finally finding my voice. He lowered his hands and looked at me with his head tilted slightly in confusion. Then suddenly he let out a laugh.

"No?" he asked mockingly. Suddenly he started coming towards me, his eyes narrowed coldly. "Does my grey skin not disgust you? Don't my eyes and fangs scare you? Do you not fear that you may one day be hurt by my claws?"

With him towering over me, it was hard for me to try and be brave. I wasn't scared of him. Intimidated? Yes. Scared? No. Never of him, never of Edward. I raised my head in mock confidence and made eye contact. It took all my self-control not to tremble under the power of his gaze.

"I am not afraid of you," I stated, keeping my voice even and calm. "I'm not afraid of you because I know you won't hurt me. I trust you."

Edward scoffed and began to circle around me like a predator. I kept my head raised and my eyes right on him. If there was any fear in me, I would never let it show. I would never even acknowledge it.

"You trust me?" he asked me. "You think I would never hurt you? What makes you think you know me that well?"

"I don't," I told him sharply. "I don't know you yet Edward, but I am trying to. I want to know you."

A cold laugh escaped his lips. Watching his face I could see that he wanted to believe me, but he couldn't. Any other person would have run away from him. Hate him. Make him feel like a monster. Yet in my heart, I knew that this was right. That _I_ was right. The man before me would never do anything to harm me.

"You don't want to know me," Edward responded. "You want to know the man you thought I would be. The handsome and allusive, Edward Cullen. Not a monster."

"Have I called you a monster?" I demanded folding my hands over my chest. "Have I run from you? Backed away from you? No! Doesn't this tell you something?"

"Yes," he said. "It tells me that you are a fool."

That statement felt like a slap in the face. I felt my eyes burn with the desire to cry, yet I held it back. I won't let him see me sad.

"A fool?" I said in a voice just above a whisper. "I am no fool, Edward Cullen. You are!"

Surprise filled his eyes and he looked at me carefully. "What did you say?"

"I said you are a fool! You are a fool because you can not see what is in front of you."

Slowly I came towards him. He backed away slightly, but I didn't stop. Our bodies nearly touched and I could feel the power coming of his skin in waves. I raised my head and looked into his eyes. Looking carefully, I could see little flickers of emotion.

Sadness. Fear. Worry. Even Hope. They might have all been hidden in the darkness, but I could make them up. I lifted my hands and placed them on his cheeks. Edward took a sharp intake of breath and gazed down at me. I smiled up at him.

"In front of you is someone who wants to know you. All of you, regardless of what you may think of yourself."

"Bella…"

I cut him off with a finger to the mouth. I felt him shudder slightly under my touch and his eyes drooped.

"No, I listened to you. Now you will listen to me." I took a deep breath and exhaled. "From the moment I laid eyes on you, Edward, something inside of me awakened. It was something powerful and new and special that I have never experienced before. Seeing you now, nothing has changed. This…" I stroked his face gently, "is not what I want from you Edward. I want this," I placed my hand over his head, "your mind and this," I placed my hand over his chest, "your heart. That is what matters to me."

"How can you look at me the same anymore?" he whispered gathering my hands into his. "How will you look at me school and not think of this?"

I laughed lightly and brushed my lips against his fingertips. "Edward, nothing has changed. You are still the same Edward I saw yesterday and the day before that."

"But this…"

"Your face does not define you," I told him tersely. "It is who you are inside that counts."

"That is what they tell you in stories," he told me sharply, turning his head away. "This isn't _Beauty and the Beast_. There isn't a spell that will make me a handsome prince in the end."

"Good. Castles, dresses and talking animal companions aren't really my thing," I teased with a small grin.

I saw a smile appear on Edward's face and it warmed my heart to see him truly smile. "Are you sure, Bella? Once you decide you want to me with me, I may never let you go."

"I never want to leave you, Edward. The only thing I fear in this moment is losing you."

Edward looked at me adoringly. Slowly he pulled me out of the sunlight. His form returned back to that of the handsome human who caught my eyes months ago. He cupped my face gently in his hands and began stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"You are amazing," he said before leaning down to kiss me.

I pulled away suddenly and shook my head. "No."

"What's wrong?" he asked, the concern in his voice was clear.

"Not like this," I told him, pulling him back into the sunlight. I watched him return to his true form, in all its might and glory. I passed my fingers over the long fangs near his mouth before tipping my face back up at him. "I want to kiss Edward Cullen."

The look in his eyes was the greatest treasure I have ever seen. They were filled with so much warmth and love that I felt slightly overwhelmed. He stroked my cheek gently before leaning down.

"Bella Swan," he whispered against my lips, "you are a dream come true."

"Then I guess that makes me Prince Charming," I whispered back before our mouths met in a kiss.

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**_And so the Lamb melted the heart of a Lion..._**

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_This one-shot was inspired by _The Phantom on the Opera_ I think that it is so much more beautiful when we see the goodness in 'monsters'. Perfection is easy to love, but flaws are harder. Anyone can love an Adonis. It takes a real heart to love a monster. _

_Reviews are always welcome and I hope you enjoyed reading._

_AradiaLestat/MingUe _


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